Euro 2016 qualifying will finish in late 2015, with the draw for the finals being made on the 12th December in Paris. This will be the first time the European Championships have seen 24 teams in the finals and the expanded format has given hope to many smaller nations such as Scotland and Wales. However, when it comes to predicting the outright winner of Euro 2016 we can automatically discount a number of sides and here we take a look at the ante post outright winner betting and give our betting tips for who we think will win Euro 2016 and which sides may offer a little value at longer odds.

The favourites are Germany, priced at odds of 7/2 with Ladbrokes, though shorter with all other firms. Next in the betting come the host nation, France, on offer at best betting odds of 9/2 with Paddy Power and completing the trio of leading contenders are Spain, priced at 7/1 with BetVictor.

Beyond those three there is a slight jump in the odds, with England and Belgium both available at 12/1, Italy at 14/1 and Holland at 16/1, with the likes of Portugal, Croatia and Russia the best of the rest.

Let’s start with one very simple betting tip: avoid backing England! Odds of 12/1 (with Sky Bet) are simply ludicrous given the record of the Three Lions in major tournaments and especially the Euros. They have enjoyed a decent qualifying campaign, albeit in one of the easiest groups, and also have some promising youngsters but they are technically a long way behind the best sides. Moreover, they have major issues with the defence and a lack of goals from midfield now that Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard have departed. A bet on England in the outright market is wasted money, especially at the same odds as Belgium.

The Belgians will have a lot of fans present in France and have to be considered a better bet than England at odds of 12/1. They remain young and inexperienced but will have learned a lot from their World Cup campaign and with Eden Hazard developing into one of the very best players in the world and a raft of superb supporting players in every position, not to mention probably the best goalkeeper in the world in Thibaut Courtois, Belgium are our outside betting tip and well worth an each way punt in the outright winner market.

From outsiders, we now turn to the favourites, Germany. German football is on a real high with the World Cup holders looking to emulate Spain and hold both major titles available to them. The fast tempo game employed by the national side and Bayern Munich is the template for modern football and Germany can do it better than the rest because of the unique talents of “sweeper keeper” Manuel Neuer. His role allows them to press incredibly high up the pitch and with their wealth of attacking midfield talent they are worthy favourites.

France, equally, are rightfully second favourites, with home advantage a massive positive for them. Back in 1998 they won the World Cup on home soil and having won the 1984 Euros as hosts they will be looking to complete a hat-trick here. They dominated world football in the late 1990s and early 2000s and after a period of disappointment they now have a squad capable of challenging, with players such as Karim Benzema, Olivier Giroud, Hugo Lloris, Paul Pogba and Franck Ribery genuinely world class.

That said, much as France have to be respected and will surely impress, our main betting tip in the outright winner market has to be Germany. We predict their experience, togetherness and unquestionable strength in depth will lead them to glory at Euro 2016 and at odds only a shade shorter than the French they have to be backed.